After learning that a Chinese alloy was being used in a fighter jet component, the Pentagon said that it is temporarily stopping deliveries of Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 aircraft. The integrated power pack uses a magnet made of metal, but according to the Pentagon, there are no security concerns. However, it is against federal acquisition laws for defence.
Russ Goemaere, a spokesman for the Defense Department, was quoted by CNN as saying, “We have confirmed that the magnet does not transmit information or harm the integrity of the aircraft and that there is no performance, quality, safety, or security risks associated with this issue. Flight operations for the F-35 in-service fleet will continue as normal.”
The suspension won’t have an impact on the F-35s that have already been delivered to the US military and other allies because there is no security concern. The F-35 Programme Office voluntarily disclosed the non-compliance, and an investigation is now being conducted to determine how it occurred. Future jets will utilise the alloy, which has already been obtained from a different source.
Notably, the use of specific speciality metals or alloys manufactured by “covered countries” identified in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation series is prohibited by US law and a different Pentagon acquisition regulation. China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia are those nations. On August 19, the Defense Contract Management Agency notified the F-35 programme office of the violation.
“To guarantee contractual observance across the supply chain, we are collaborating with DOD and our partners. No sensitive programme data is visible to or accessible to the magnet. The F-35 is still safe for flight, and we are coordinating with the DOD to find a rapid solution so that deliveries can restart “A statement was released by Lockheed Martin.
China penalises US firms that have provided Taiwan with weapons( F-35 Fighter ).
Lockheed Martin Corp. and Raytheon Technologies Corp., two US firms, have received sanctions from China for providing weapons to Taiwan.
The sanctions are countermeasures against the two companies over a $100 million arms sale on February 7 that seriously harmed relations between China and the US, as well as peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, according to Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry.
China and Taiwan have been at odds for many years because Beijing claims ownership of the island and has threatened to take it by force if necessary.
According to Wang, “the Chinese government has resolved to take countermeasures on the infringing conduct of Raytheon Technologies and Lockheed Martin in accordance with the relevant provisions of China’s anti-foreign sanctions law.”
Both are military businesses that have been involved in US arms shipments to China’s Taiwan territory for a long time.
The U.S.-China relationship has always been difficult, and after 50 years of ups and downs, it is now more complicated than ever.
Although the Cold War is long past, there are worries on both sides that a new one may be starting.
Because of its affluence, China has been able to significantly expand its military, which the US and its allies view as a threat.
According to the Communist Party, its only goal is territorial defence. However, that also entails attempting to control islands that are home to vital shipping lanes and natural resources and are also claimed by Japan in the East China Sea and by Southeast Asian countries in the South China Sea.
An area of contention with the US, Taiwan, has seen an increase in military warplane training operations there.
The autonomous island off China’s east coast is included in its territorial claims. The US supplies Taiwan with military weaponry and warns China against any attempt to capture it by force.
